www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkxgVlY8hN0

Galatians 3:13-14: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”[a]), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

If you are unable to see the video, please click here or visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkxgVlY8hN0

with love in Jesus

John Kodiyil

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyl5XqagF28

Galatians 3:13-14: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”[a]), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

If you are unable to see the video, please click here or visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyl5XqagF28

with love in Jesus

John Kodiyil

Many people today understand the church as a building. This is not a biblical understanding of the church. The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” The root meaning of “church” is not that of a building, but of people.

The church is the body of Christ, of which He is the head. Ephesians 1:22-23 says, “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” The body of Christ is made up of all believers in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) until Christ’s return.

The church is not a building or a denomination. According to the Bible, the church is the body of Christ — all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

Early Church

Lifestyle

“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42 NASB)

Participatory meetings

“What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” (1 Cor. 14:26 NASB; see also Colossians 3:16, Heb. 10:24-25)

Meeting in homes

“Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.” 1 Cor. 16:19

Romans 16:5 –  Likewise greet the church that is in their house.

Acts 20:20 – how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house

Colossians 4:15 – Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in his[a] house.

Philemon 1:2- to the beloved[a] Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

Networking through Apostles

“After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” (Acts 15:36)

Occasional Large Group Meetings

“I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house” (Acts 20:20 [NASB])

Jesus model – Christ Our Cornerstone

Ephesians 2:19-22   Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. ” For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20 [NIV])

Jesus – the author and perfecter of our faith – our role model

Churches need to develop elders and deacons who serve the members as overseers, not a ruling hierarchy by being examples (patterns and models of Christian living) to the flock (the congregation). And then when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, we will win the conqueror’s crown of glory

Churches need to become “an assembly” of “called-out ones” one that is not that of a building, but of people. Church buildings today tend to lock Christians away from meaningful contact with their communities. Far from promoting the faith by being “visible” they mark the places for unbelievers to avoid! (Try inviting one in!)

Jesus’ ministry seems to be about 40% in homes, 40% in informal gatherings in the open country or city courtyards, and maybe 20% in synagogues.

Going through Mark’s Gospel we find Jesus:

• Healing Peter’s mother-in-law at the family residence (Mark 1:29).
• Healing a paralytic via a hole in some poor soul’s roof (Mark 2:10)
• Saving a bunch of crooked tax collectors at Levi’s place (Mark 2:15)
• Getting mobbed and nearly “certified” over a meal (Mark 3:20)
• Healing a 12-year-old girl in her bedroom (Mark 5:42)
• Telling the disciples to do home—based evangelism (Mark 6:10)
• Having his lunch interrupted by accusing Pharisees (Mark 7:2)
• Delivering a Greek girl from demons in a home in Tyre (Mark 7:24).
• Teaching the disciples humility in a Capernaum house (Mark 9:32).
• Giving revolutionary teaching on marriage in a home (Mark 10:10)
• Preparing for his last week at Lazarus’ villa in Bethany (Mark 11:1)
• Being anointed by a sinful woman at Simons dwelling (Mark 14:3)
• Instituting breaking of bread in a Jerusalem home (Mark 14:14).
• Enjoying a post resurrection meal at a disciple’s place (Mark 16:12).
• Reuniting with the eleven in their locked-up home (Mark 16:14).
• Returning at last to his Father’s House (Mark 16:19).

The synagogue should not be seen as the forerunner of church life. Rather than being a model for the early church, synagogues were the hub of corrupt practice where Jesus confronted the religious establishment with true spiritual vitality. In the Gospel according to Mark we find Jesus:

• Upsetting the service expelling demons from a member (Mark 1:26).
• Chasing more demons from the Galilean synagogues (Mark 1:39).
• Having a contract put out on him for a Sabbath healing (Mark 3:1).
• Surviving a death attempt in Nazareth (Mark 6:2, see also Luke).
• Condemning the pride inherent in synagogue worship (Mark 12:39).
• Warning disciples they would be flogged in synagogues (Mark 13:9).

These facts should at least bring into question our love of special buildings, formal seating, organized meetings and even the sacrosanct regular Sunday meetings.

Summary

In Cochin and Ooty, I am making efforts to have a good mixture of both the large group meetings as well as the home meetings. The group meetings consists of disciples.  The disciples  hold weekly meetings at home, asking them to invite those in their circles, to have a meal and to share the Gospel. The home meetings are often people who barely know Jesus, with the majority being those who do not come, or would not come, to the weekly gathering of disciples.

This is not the same as “cell groups”. Cell groups mainly involve re-gathering of those who gather in the Sunday worship.

I initiated this in January 2010. We have at least two families coming to home meetings who do not feel that they are ready to come to the gathering of disciples. Though I am not present in these meetings, I answer questions that they could not find answers to, I help out in the word of God when needed, and pray. If there are issues that need personal prayer, then I go to their homes and pray, and when the Lord follows through with the miracles, those families then come for the weekly meetings of the disciples. They in turn start home meetings of their own to reach out to their circle of influence when they are ready.

I am learning as I go along. I am hoping to develop and exemplify

1. Sincerity – What you see is what you get, no hype.
2. Friendship – True friendship and brotherly bonds are developed.
3. Discipleship – Paul said “imitate me” 1 Corinthians 4:16 & 1 Corinthians 11:1 He could say this because people really knew him – not by attending his seminars, but because he lived and exercised his ministry in and around people’s homes. Loving attitudes are observed and copied, problems are visible and can be gently taught into. It helps explain why hospitality is a non-negotiable qualification for church leadership in Scriptures.
4. Mission – Gospel is unfettered, Brother Yun, in his astounding account of the Chinese Underground Church contends: “God has not only refined us in the fire of affliction for the past thirty years, He has also refined our methods. For example, we’re totally committed to planting groups of local believers who meet in homes. We have no desire to build a church building anywhere! This allows the gospel to spread rapidly, is harder for the authorities to detect, and allow us to channel resources directly into gospel ministry.”
5. Stewardship – In a related point, we need to question how much of kingdom money is eaten up by church building and maintenance. The physical needs of the worldwide church are immense, as is the need to fund mission to unreached people groups. Yet the scandalous fact is 90 percent of Christian money is spent on the world’s richest 10 percent (USA, Western Europe and Australasia). This money is split between buildings and staff. Many new churches have tired of the inconvenience of setting up in hired halls and spending vast amounts on edifices.
6. Locality - Imagine if we could seek out people in our neighborhoods. Imagine those groups meeting regularly and committing to serve and reach the people they live among. Imagine groups like these meeting with others for a monthly celebration, for envisioning, teaching and encouragement. It is a trend worth encouraging surely, and more reminiscent of New Testament method than the remote central church model we’re stuck with now.
7. An atmosphere where newcomers are welcome: There is a perceived problem here. Some people feel that newcomers would be loath to visit a meeting a house. Our experience has shown that, as long as a person has been befriended beforehand, he will quickly feel relaxed in a home meeting.

Solomon wrote, “The heavens, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built.”8 Yet for a time, God chose to set his presence in a physical place. But when Jesus died the temple curtain was violently ripped into two.

The temple is now replaced by groups of believers being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. The Bible could not be clearer, “The Lord of heaven and earth. . . does not live in temples built by hands.  Instead as Peter explains you, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house. One of the most dominant New Testament pictures used to describe the church is that of a “household,” God’s household.

Scriptural language is replete with the language of family, “brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, devotion, love, help, care..eating… .” It figures that the most natural setting for this “household” is—you’ve guessed it—a house! And it was easy to see how the sense of family, and sharing of life and discipleship by example happened naturally in this most informal of environments.

After all, we all meet at  “The Father’s House”.

“From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been COMMITTED TO THE GRACE OF GOD for the work they had now completed” (Acts 14:26).

Why was the grace of God so important in the experience of the early Christians? Why did the church in Antioch pray that the GRACE of God would be upon Paul and Barnabas, and later on Paul and Silas, as they set out on their missionary journeys?

A. THE MEANING OF GRACE

The most common understanding of the word “grace” is “God’s unmerited favor” – in other words, even though we were sinners, deserving of judgment, God looked upon us in love and forgave us.

This, however, is only half its meaning. It also means “God’s enabling power.”

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Ths 2:16,17).

Not only does His grace make us accepted into the family of God, but it also provides the power we need to live the Christian life. Two scriptures indicate the two aspects of God’s grace in every believer.

1. God’s Unmerited Favor
“For it is by grace [God's unmerited favour] you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph 2:8,9).

2. God’s Enabling Power
“….In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace [enabling power], which he has freely given us in the one he loves” (Eph 1:4-6). Read also the whole chapter, which describes all that we have received by grace (by His enabling power).

In salvation, not only is God’s unmerited favor expressed (that we receive forgiveness and restored relationship with Him even though we don’t) deserve it), but so also is God’s enabling power – for it is only by HIS power that we can be transformed.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor 5:17).

This principle of grace continues throughout our walk with God. In every area of our Christian lives, it is God’s grace that causes us to grow and be strong – God’s enabling power given to us without any merit on our part.

“…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…” (2 Pet 3:18).

B. GRACE GIVEN THE HEROES OF FAITHFULNESS

This operating force of grace is revealed in the lives of men and women throughout the whole Bible. Every hero of faith began his walk with God aware of his own weakness and inability.
It was only through him allowing God’s grace – His enabling power – to work in his life that he was able to become the kind of person that God wanted him to be, and to fulfill the plan and purpose God had for his life.

C. GRACE IN THE LIFE OF MOSES

Read Exodus 3:11-13; 4:1-13. The command the Lord gave Moses was no small task. Egypt was the ruling empire of the day. It was an evil nation, and Pharaoh, its satanic leader, held authority that was claimed to be divine. Every nation in the known world lived in fear of Pharaoh.

When God told Moses to go down to Egypt and tell Pharaoh to let His three million people go free from slavery, Moses’ immediate response – out of his own weakness and inability – was as follows:

3:11 “Who am I?”
3:13 “Who are You?”
4:1 “They won’t believe me!”
4:10 “I’m not eloquent!”
4:13 “Lord, send someone else!”

But with God’s grace, Moses did go down to Egypt, and with signs and wonders brought the people of Israel out as God told him to.

D. GRACE IN THE LIFE OF GIDEON

Read Judges 6:1-24. The call of God came to Gideon to deliver His people from the conquering armies of Midian. Israel had known only defeat for many years. Gideon’s response to God’s word in verse 13 reveals his initial unbelief:

”‘But sir, ‘ Gideon replied, ‘If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt? But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.”’

Even when the Lord encouraged him and promised to be with him, Gideon answered: “How can I save Israel? I’m the smallest member of the smallest family in our tribe!” (see verse 15).

But despite his fear and inability, with God’s grace (enabling power) Gideon saved Israel. And he did it with just a small band of men. It was GRACE that made the difference!

E. GRACE IN THE LIFE OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

Read Acts 15:40. Before Paul and Silas set out on their missionary journey together, the church at Antioch prayed for them and “commended [them] … to the grace of the Lord” for the work that was ahead of them.

Read Paul’s description of his experiences in 2 Corinthians 11:22-33. It is understandable that he was first commended to the grace of God!

He needed it to survive! The Lord’s answer to Paul’s confession of weakness is His promise for us too:

“…My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness..” (2 Cor 12:9).

F. GRACE RELEASED IN OUR LIVES

In our relationship with God – as we walk with Him each day – we constantly meet situations that would try to over whelm us. Our response to God is to trust His Word. We express our trust through obedience.

This proves we believe what God’s Word says despite what the circumstances might indicate – His enabling power, which causes us to triumph in every situation.

G. TWO IMPORTANT PROMISES

1. We Have Bold Access To The Throne Of Grace
“Let us then approach the THRONE OF GRACE with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and FIND GRACE [divine enablement] TO HELP US IN OUR TIME OF NEED” (Hebrews 4:16).

2. God Is Able
“And God is able to make ALL grace ABOUND to you, so that in ALL things at ALL times, having ALL that you need you will ABOUND in EVERY good work” (2 Cor 9:8).

MY COMMITMENT

Today I decide to receive God’s grace – His enabling power – into every area and problem that arises in my life, and teach others to do the same also